Ask five relief DVMs what they earn and you will hear five different numbers. Relief pay moves with the city, the shift type and how many days you choose to work. So the honest answer to how much do relief vets make is that it depends, but within ranges you can plan around.
This article lays out those ranges by the hour, the day and the year. It shows how they shift by region and practice type, compares them to an associate package, and runs the math on taxes and shifts per week. Every number comes from FlexVet’s published 2026 pay data.
FlexVet’s 2026 relief vet pay rates, built from aggregated industry salary data and FlexVet placement data, put full-time relief at four days a week at $120K to $160K a year. The industry average sits at about $152K, and top urban earners go past the range. When day rates run $800-$1,200/day, four days a week works out to $145K-$200K+.
General practice relief runs $55 to $125/hr in most US markets. ER and urgent care pay $100 to $165/hr. Specialty work such as surgery or dermatology runs $125 to $165+/hr.
Many clinics book GP relief as a flat day rate, typically $600 to $1,000/day. High-demand and last-minute shifts run $1,000 to $1,500+/day, because a clinic that needs a doctor tomorrow pays for it. Across locations, specialties and experience levels, relief vets typically earn between $800 and $1,500 per day.
Annual income is a choice more than a salary. The $120K to $160K range assumes four days a week. Two or three days a week scales it down, and a season heavy with premium shifts scales it up. Some clinics also offer production-based pay of 20 to 25% of collected revenue, in addition to or instead of a base rate, which can lift a high-volume day well above the flat rate.
Geography is the biggest single lever on relief pay. The regional ranges below come from the same 2026 pay data. Note that this is NOT a quote for currently available positions but a guide to give you an idea of ranges.
| Region | Hourly | Day rate | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York / New Jersey | $75-$165 | $950-$1,500 | Among highest in the US |
| Los Angeles / CA | $75-$160 | $900-$1,400 | High demand, high cost of living |
| Northeast (MA, CT, PA) | $70-$130 | $850-$1,200 | Strong urban market |
| Pacific Northwest | $65-$120 | $800-$1,100 | Growing shortage areas |
| Southeast (FL, GA, TX) | $55-$100 | $650-$950 | Fast-growing market |
| Midwest | $55-$90 | $600-$850 | Rural shortage areas add premium |
| Mountain / Southwest | $55-$95 | $600-$900 | Variable by metro vs rural |
Metro rates go finer. San Francisco GP relief runs $80-$130/hr, with ER and specialty at $155-$190. New York City runs $130-$180 for GP and $155-$190 for ER and specialty. At the other end, Birmingham, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Gainesville and Tallahassee start GP at $55-$90, where lower living costs stretch each shift further.
Two state-level factors matter beyond the rate. Texas, Nevada, Tennessee, Washington and Florida have no state income tax, so the same gross keeps more after taxes. Seattle relief vet jobs pair that with GP rates of $70-$120/hr. Seasonal markets such as Phoenix, Fort Myers and West Palm Beach also see a snowbird surge from November to April.
The shift itself changes the number as much as the zip code. Typical premiums on top of a GP day rate:
Credentials count too. Dental extractions, soft tissue surgery, ultrasound and internal medicine experience push you toward the top of a bracket. So does reliability: clinics pay more for doctors who arrive prepared, know common practice management software and bring their own kit. Bilingual DVMs see extra demand in markets like Miami.
A typical associate package is a base of about $100K-$120K, a $10K-$25K production bonus and 2-3 weeks of PTO. Spread over the hours an associate actually works, that comes to roughly $45-$65/hr. Relief at four days a week and $800-$1,200/day works out to $145K-$200K+, or about $100-$150/hr effective.
The gap is real, but it compares gross to gross. An employer pays half of Social Security and Medicare taxes and usually covers health insurance, CE and retirement matching. As an independent contractor you pay all of that yourself, with no paid time off. Compare the two on net, not on the headline. Our veterinarian salary breakdown covers the associate side and student debt in more depth, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes median pay and outlook for all veterinarians.
Relief pay arrives with nothing withheld. Plan on setting aside 25 to 30% of gross for taxes, more in high-tax states. That set-aside has to cover self-employment tax, the Social Security and Medicare contributions an employer would otherwise split with you.
Other costs that come out of a relief vet’s gross:
Add taxes and retirement together and 40 to 50% of gross is spoken for before insurance. That is why an $800 relief day and a salaried day are not the same thing. The offset is that deductions for mileage, CE, licenses and insurance lower your taxable income. The 2026 relief vet tax guide covers quarterly estimates and deductions, and the relief vet insurance guide covers coverage choices. For your own numbers, talk to a CPA.
Because you choose your days, the useful question is how many shifts get you to your number. Here is hypothetical math, assuming 48 working weeks and four unpaid weeks off:
These are gross figures, so apply the set-asides above before deciding a target is enough. A higher-rate market or a few ER and holiday shifts can take a shift off each week; a slow month adds one back. The relief vet schedule planning guide builds sample weeks and seasonal plans around the same idea.
With FlexVet, your account manager handles the rate conversation. You tell us the rate you expect, we find clinics in your market that will pay it, and the rate is agreed before the shift. There is no cost to the vet, you keep 100% of your agreed rate, and you are paid weekly by direct deposit with no invoicing.
Relief vets typically earn between $800 and $1,500 per day depending on location, specialty, and experience. General practice day rates usually run $600 to $1,000/day, while high-demand and last-minute shifts reach $1,000 to $1,500+/day. ER, overnight and holiday shifts carry premiums, and the highest rates cluster in metros like San Francisco, New York City and Los Angeles.
On gross pay, usually yes. Relief at four days a week and $800-$1,200/day works out to $145K-$200K+, versus an associate base of about $100K-$120K plus a $10K-$25K production bonus. But relief vets pay self-employment tax, their own health insurance and retirement, and get no paid time off, so compare the two on net income rather than headline pay.
Plan on 25 to 30% of gross income, more in high-tax states. Taxes are not withheld from relief payouts, so you make quarterly estimated payments and cover self-employment tax yourself. Business deductions such as mileage, CE, licensing and liability insurance reduce what you owe. A CPA who works with self-employed professionals can set the right percentage for your state and income.
With FlexVet, you are paid weekly by direct deposit. You submit your hours, FlexVet invoices and collects from the clinic, and you never have to chase a hospital for a check. If you book shifts directly with clinics instead, you invoice each practice yourself and payment follows whatever terms you agree with that clinic.
FlexVet connects licensed DVMs with veterinary clinics across the US. Explore relief vet pay, licensing, and open markets across 58 metro areas in 30 states.
FlexVet connects licensed DVMs with veterinary clinics across the US. Browse open relief shifts or learn more about how it works.
